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Monday, June 27, 2005

The Bug Man Cometh

DearREADERS,As I prepare the house for tenting (for 2 kinds of termites) I am wondering what our ancestors did to combat these tiny evil destroyers capable of devouring a floor joist in a single bite, (or so it seems.) I also would like to hear from you about home remedies your family used to get rid of "little pests" in the house or garden.I will be locked out of the house until late Thursday, so plan accordingly. I've upped the limit of my email box to 900MB. That ought to cover it!

Sunday, June 26, 2005

Beginning Genealogy Lesson #10: County Boundary Changes

From: Lon2000DearMYRTLE,"One of my ancestors died in Hopewell, Hunterdon County, New Jersey in 1806. Then in 1838 the boundaries changed and Hopewell is now located in Mercer County, New Jersey. For my records do I list the place as Hopewell, Hunterdon or Hopewell, Mercer or both?"

DearLON2000,Your question is well-founded, and something to address in this series of Beginning Genealogy Lessons. The hard and fast rule for genealogy researchers is record the place or locality as it was at the time of the event. This will direct you to the correct courthouse which may hold documentary evidence of your ancestor's activities.

--------------------------------------------------------How do you determine the county boundaries?--------------------------------------------------------You'd have to place the township on a current map, and check the following resources for the historical boundaries:

-- Dollarhide, William and William Thorndale. Map Guide to the U.S. Federal Censuses, 1790-1920. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Company. 1987. www.genealogical.com

Now, let's play with the practical application of this information. It is possible that if your ancestor lived and died in the home which had been in the family three generations before him and three generations following his demise, that some interesting conclusions could be drawn.

We know your ancestor died in 1806 Hopewell, Hunterdon County, New Jersey. Unless you actually know his age at death, you might have to jump to a conclusion that he was about 50-60 years of age when he died. (Typical for the time period.) This would mean he was probably born in 1746-56, and that her perhaps married circa 1766-1776. Consider the US Revolutionary War may have had an impact on the marriage date. This means you also need to look for military service in the New Jersey State Militia or the Continental Army. Consult Daughters of American Revolution (DAR) indexes. (But I digress...)

--------------------------------------------------------Your first step is to try to locate probate records,since you know the exact date.--------------------------------------------------------After looking this up in both the Red Book and The Handybook, I've found that the Secretary of State in Trenton hold the originals, but county courthouses in New Jersey maintain copies of wills and administrations of estates beginning (luckily) in 1804. At the time of his death the county was Hunterdon, and should be listed as such in your genealogy management program. You may be able to draw conclusions as to his age from the will, especially if his wife has only one or two young children. (We're not considering second wives, but that is also a possibility.) If his sons are inheriting property without guardianship then you can assume they are 18-21, also serving to support our estimated birth year.

Since Hunterdon County was created in 1714, we hope to find several earlier generations of ancestor's probate/wills. The wills are indexed from 1682-1805. Ronald Vern Jackson edited an Index to New Jersey Wills, 1689-1890, the Testators. (AIS, 1979) If there are many individuals by that surname in the records, and the relationships are not readily apparent, you must turn to other records to verify lineage.

--------------------------------------------------------Another important clue is that the family held the property for a total of seven generations.--------------------------------------------------------Armed with this information you can find records of deeds at the local county clerk's office after the 1785 land act. Earlier records are part of the New Jersey Archives XXI 1664-1790 maintained at the Secretary of State's Office. The Red Book (Ancestry) reports that these are indexed in Colonial Conveyances: Provinces East & West New Jersey 1664-1794, 2 Vols. (Crestview Lawyers Service) As you trace the recording of deeds as each generation inherited the property, you'll note:

-- Name of the former owner, (so you'll know who died.)

-- Date of land transaction, (so you'll also know what probate record to obtain.)

-- Names of Witnesses (They are shirt-tail relatives, since one wouldn't ask a stranger to sign something important.)

Consider that the Hunterdon County Clerk in Flemington has the marriage records from 1795-1875, per The Handybook for Genealogists. This means you will need to search Hunterdon County for a marriage entry for your known ancestor (we guessed circa 1766-1776), and each gentleman you discover in reviewing the land and probate records. I have not seen New Jersey marriage records for that time period, so I do not know if parents of the bride & groom will be mentioned.

Let me add, that if you had an ancestor who resided in the family home prior to 1714, the parent county of Hunterdon County was Burlington. However, something must have happened since Burlington County (although an original county created in 1683 from the Western New Jersey provincial government) only reports having divorce records from 1966, probate & land records from 1785 and civil court records from 1880.

For those generations of individuals who lived in the family home after the 1838 county boundary change, you would be reviewing the records in Mercer County.

We haven't yet discussed naturalization, newspaper records, county histories, federal & state census records, etc., but I think you have enough to keep you busy for a while!

--------------------------------------------------------HELP WITH USE OF "MRS."From: Wayne Morgan wmorgan@ns.sympatico.caDearMYRTLE,Your discussion of relationship terms reminded me of a discussion we had on the net some time ago. One of my ancestors, John Symonds married Mrs. Hannah Porter in 1763 (from the Township records for Beverly). In responding to my query about the name of the possible husband of Hannah, and potential parents of her, one Rootsweb correspondent suggested that the term "Mrs" didn't necessarily mean that she was married, and that it probably meant a term of high respect for a single woman! I would appreciate any thoughts on this matter.

DearWAYNE,I have heard of such a situation, particularly when the woman was of "spinster" age, whatever that means. I cannot for the life of me find the source to cite. Perhaps my DearREADERS can find an appropriate reference?Myrt :)

--------------------------------------------------------AUNTIE MACASSARFrom: RPSPCPSP@aol.comDearMYRTLE,Re:Antimacassars, just had to put my 2 cents in. There is a children's show called the Big Comfy Couch and one of the character's name is Auntie Macassar!

There are also variations in the way that computer genealogy programs report kinship. Some say that children with one common parent are half siblings.

Some say that descendants with one common grandparent are half first cousins. Some say that a step-father is a "father."

It is best to edit a file to show children with two bio parents and no other parent relationships before a file transfer by GEDCOM or other methods.

Adoptive relationships may not be identified in ancestor charts or reports.

GEDCOM transfer with multiple parents between a program like PAF limited to the same relationship of a child to TWO parents may be misleading in a program that allows individual child-parent relationships. PAF [Personal Ancestral File] allows multiple parents with the same relationship (two different sets of bioparents) and also allows a bio parent to be shown as step or adoptive with the second spouse.

--------------------------------------------------------REGARDING OVERSIZED NOTEBOOK DIVIDERSFrom: bobert@i-1.netDearMYRTLE,Hi - I don't know what sort of notebook dividers you refer to, but I buy the archival (safe) page protectors by the 50 or 60 each package at SuperStore for less than $5 per package. Then I buy a box (comes in a clear plastic container) of 'index dividers' to separate chapters, families, data of whatever kind. These come in various colors or clear....pull the 'white' paper off the 'sticky' and they stick on to the plastic notebook page protectors...these can also be snipped with scissors (to needed size) and have white 'tabs' one can print/write on...to denote whatever follows in the ensuing pages. -- Shirley.

From: Eleanor Horvitz cromwellp@sprynet.comDearMYRTLE,I have never seen the indexes for sheet protectors. I came up with a solution that works for me. I put the index divider in a sheet protector, cutting a hole for the tab to fit thru.

--------------------------------------------------------SAVING CENSUS ENUMERATIONS IN THE FUTUREFrom: gypsy97@bellsouth.netDearMYRTLE,Re: 2006 Australian Census to be Saved -

http://www.dearmyrtle.com/05/0524.htmAfter reading the article about the Australians just compiling the statistics and destroying the original records, I am wondering about the original U.S. Census in the past few decades. Since an enumerator doesn't go door-to-door any longer, and each household sends in an individual piece of paper, how will the information be compiled and stored? The cost of microfilming all those individual submissions would be horrendous, to say nothing of the cost of storage. And unless they have a way of assembling those individual submissions, we can say goodbye to checking on neighbors and other family members living close by.

--------------------------------------------------------THREE THINGS NOT TO DO AT A FAMILY HISTORY CENTERFrom: Pam [via DM's Message Board]DearMYRTLE,Talking about Family History Centers. I have been to a few Family History Centers that are open to the public [where] they can be very helpful or too strict. The Family History Center at Howell Michigan is very user friendly to use, especially for Michigan research. I highly recommend it.

--------------------------------------------------------DEFINITION OF ARCHIVAL STORAGE MATERIALSFrom: W R Strouse b.strouse@mchsi.comDearMYRTLE,You often speak of sheet protectors that are archival quality. Recently mention has been made of Vinyl NOT being archival. What material IS archival? Would Polypropylene be? In searching your archives for an answer I have found your binder system for records quite interesting and plan to study it more. (I have copied portions of your articles on that subject to a Word document to make them easy to review.) -- Bill

DearBILL,Archival quality means the material does not give off gasses that contribute to the early breakdown of the material to be saved. This means they are to be low acid, and lignin-free. C-Line is one of several companies that produces a range of high-quality archival safe top-loading sheet protectors.

Chapter Two: "The Preservation Facts" from Preserving Your Family Photographs by Maureen A. Taylor summarizes the problem of storing old family photos by stating "Improper storage materials and environmental conditions such as excess moisture, temperature fluctuations, pests, chemicals, and light influence the rate at which these factors deteriorate the images." Appendix D includes a list of reputable suppliers. Page 26 explains that polypropylene or polyester sleeves are suitable. The book is available from www.familytreemagazine.com or www.amazon.com for around $19. It might make a good addition to your public library's genealogy department.

When I come across anything unusual that must be preserved under the best conditions, I recommend obtaining archival storage material from:Light ImpressionsP.O. Box 787Brea, CA 92822-0787(800) 828-6216www.lightimpressionsdirect.com

Wednesday, June 22, 2005

Hamburg Passenger ListFrom: Samson Der Herliche samson0718@yahoo.comDearMYRTLE,Would you have or would you know know someone who would have access to this Hamburg Passenger List? Or to be more specific, I am looking for someone between the years of 1850 and 1877 who could have been on this list.

DearSAM,That's a pretty broad expanse of years to be looking for someone on any passenger list. You may need to do more "place of origin" research, unless you can find your ancestor in an index.This collection on micofilm is huge. You will therefore be most interested in reading a helpful Research Outline by the folks at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City titled (of all things, HAMBURG PASSENGER LISTS. To find it:

1. Go to: http://www.familysearch.org2. Click the "Search" tab.3. Click "Research Helps"4. Click "H" and scroll down5. Click on "Hamburg Passenger Lists.""The Hamburg passenger lists contain the names of millions of Europeans who emigrated through Hamburg between 1850 and 1934 (except 1915–1919). Nearly one-third of the people who emigrated from central and eastern Europe during this time are included on these lists. If you have ancestors who emigrated from these areas, the Hamburg passenger lists could provide important genealogical information about them, including their hometowns. Extensive indexes make these records easier to use than most other passenger lists and emigration records.

The records of Europeans who emigrated through other ports, such as Bremen, LeHavre, Amsterdam, Rotterdam, and Antwerp, have either been destroyed or are not available for research at the Family History Library." IBID.

Of particular interest is the distinction between:-- DIRECT LIST (direct from Hamburg to the destination)

-- INDIRECT LIST (from Hamburg, next to some other European port, and then to the destination.)

Go to FamilySearch.org and view the online FHL Catalog to determine which of the 486 microfilm of indices and lists you'll need. If you search the catalog, by clicking the "Place" and then typing in "Hamburg" as part of "Germany" and then click on the topic "Emigration & Immigration" you'll find the entries. The research outline explaines "additional 48 rolls of microfilm for the Klüber Kartei, a newly acquired index for the Hamburg Passenger lists covering approximately 1850 to 1871." I was not aware of this newer index, and it may prove useful for your time period. It also explains:

Another interesting collection would be:-- Reisepaß-Protokolle, 1851-1929. This is 332 microfilms of the "Passport applications recorded by the police information office in Hamburg. Each volume has its own index. Indexes show the name, birth date and place of the applicant, the year and file number."

Please write back and tell me more about your specific ancestor's name, age, family members and where he settled. We might be able to make more progress in the US before tackling the Germanic records.

Monday, June 20, 2005

Relationship TermsDearREADERS,As the collection of primary & secondary family history documents proceeds, you are likely to notice some interesting wording. The phrases we use currently to describe relationships between people are not necessarily the definitions used in previous centuries. For instance:

-- A husband and wife were thought of as a single entity, so the term SISTER could mean either sister or sister-in-law.

-- IN-LAW could also mean a step child.

-- COUSINS could mean anything in a familial relationship OTHER than the immediate family of parents & children. -- Frequently during the colonial American time period, NIECES & NEPHEWS were referred to as COUSINS.

-- BROTHER & SISTER could denote a religious association, not a blood relationship.

-- SENIOR & JUNIOR didn't always imply father-son relationships, merely that one was the OLDER of that name in the community or extended family.

-- NEPOS is Latin for GRANDSON not nephew.

-- MY SON'S NOW WIFE didn't imply a previous marriage. It was used to protect the estate from being diluted from claims by subsequent wives should this one die and the son remarry.

Remember too, that pink USED to be a baby boy's clothing color, and BLUE was for baby girls - so how we think of things today isn't necessarily the same as in generations past!

--------------------------------------------------------For Further Reading:--------------------------------------------------------Greenwood, Val. The Researcher's Guide to American Genealogy. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Company. 1983. It's there for FREE on their main page. You can use Acrobat Reader to view the pages, and print out those that will help you the most. http://www.Genealogical.comOld Words Mailing Listhttp://www.rootsweb.com/~jfuller/gen_mail_general.html#OLD-WORDS

Tuesday, June 14, 2005

READERS' FEEDBACK: Antimacassars

From: Cloago@aol.comDearMYRTLE,By now, you may have gotten the answer but here's my answer for you. -- antimacassar --n: a piece of ornamented cloth that protects the back of the chair from hair oils.Macassar, a brand of hair oil[From the American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition, Copyright 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.]

In your reminiscences of yesteryear, canning etc., remember the curtain stretchers that had long pins all around the area where you wanted to stretch the curtains. You struggled to fit those wet fine net curtains, called glass curtains, over the pins and made sure the size you had set when you put the contraption together would be the correct size. They dried in the sunshine in a short amount of time and then you moved on to another pair of curtains.

Also the carpets were taken up and hung over the clothes line and beaten with your energy and a wire beater.Thanks for the memories.Clara Obern

PS. If any of your readers had ancestors struggling in the war in 1776 they should read David McCullough's book "1776." It's fantastic!

--------------------------------------------------------From: SusanE1113@aol.comDearMYRTLE,Greatly enjoy your communications. The doily things over the chair backs and arms are called antimacassars. The dictionary says there was an oily hair preparation imported from Macassar, hence anti-macassar, to protect the chair from the Macassar stuff. Huh! Brings to mind the commercials I remember from childhood about some hair preparation being better than "greasy kid stuff" or something. Must have been about the vintage of the Burma-Shave signs.

--------------------------------------------------------From: MamaBank@aol.comDearMYRTLE,ANTIMACASSARIf you want to protect your furniture from everyday use, this fabric headrest is just perfect. The olden day name for them is 'antimacassar', and they are machine washable & available in a choice of colours. As well as protecting your furniture, they can instantly give your room a face lift.I think this is the word you want.--------------------------------------------------------From: Roy T. BeckDearMYRTLE,The word you are thinking of is "antimacassar". These were cloth pieces (knitted, woven, etc) placed on chair arms and backs. The term macassar refers to hair oil of that name which would soil the chair backs. Macassar oil was said to have been made from ingredients obtained from Macassar, a seaport on SW Celebes, in central Indonesia. (I call them doilies.)Keep up the good work.

--------------------------------------------------------From: gloriamlh@juno.comDearMYRTLE,Subject: antimacassarMacassar was a brilliantine that men used in their hair in Victorian days. It got all over the high-backed horsehair sofas and chairs leaving a shiny greasy mark, so 'antimacassars' were used, the doilies mentioned. As you see I am not sure of the spelling but i am sure of the facts... love your columns... Trivia buff, Gloria.

--------------------------------------------------------From: Christine BaumanDearMYRTLE,They were named antimacassars, after a hair oil for men. Here's an article: Oddly Named Home Furnishings by LC Van Savagehttp://www.vansavage.com/2000/antimacassar.shtml--------------------------------------------------------From: Christine A Barnes genealogy@meovoto.co.ukDearMYRTLE,In answer to your question about the lace doilies that protect the back and arms of chairs and sofas, the word you are looking for is "antimacassar." My parents still use them and you can still buy them – at least in England! (Although not called antimacassars anymore.) I am one of your overseas readers from England and always enjoy your column. I can only picture some of the stories but love hearing readers recollections. -- Best regards, Christine.--------------------------------------------------------From Bjsgen@aol.comDearMYRTLE,They have several sets of antimacassars on sale at http://search.ebay.com/Antimacassar.--------------------------------------------------------From: Psternemann1@aol.comDearMYRTLE,Those hand-crochet lace things were called antimacassars because they protected the headrest from the macassar oil that men used to put in their hair. Phyllis, too young to remember, but old enough to investigate)

--------------------------------------------------------From: ShirleyDearMYRTLE,I finally found it in the 1917 Webster's Dictionary:"antimacassar n. A cover to protect the back or arms of a chair, sofa, etc., from Macasser oil or other oil from the hair."

--------------------------------------------------------From: MzPanzie@aol.comDearMYRTLE,antimacassarMacassar oil was an imported hair oil for men, way back in the day.Macassar is a region of the island of Celebes.When the men sat in a chair, it would leave an oily residue. No housekeeper worth her salt would allow that, the doily called anti-macassar, was invented. It kept the oil off the furniture and Mrs. Housewife happy.JoycePS - Never a canner, only a canner's helper.

Sunday, June 12, 2005

Watermelon Pickles & Tell Myrt the Story

From: JeanSnowowl@aol.comDearMYRTLE,How I do look forward to all your messages, and particularly the many communications concerning making preserves, etc. This is especially meaningful to me as I reminisce about helping my mom in her many endeavors throughout my life. Mom died recently at the tender age of 100 and I am full of tears and joy at all the comments that this subject has created. We never used Certo or any other "additive" but rather just measured equal portions of fruit and sugar and cooked it until it began to thicken. I still do that with my "cultivated, thornless" blackberries, adding just a bit of lemon juice to enhance the flavor.

Now I read the nostalgia in Charlie's longing for Watermelon Pickles. My daughter and I are planning to make some as soon as we get a really good watermelon. This is my mother's recipe. Hope it resembles that in Charlie's memory.

--------------------------------------------------------From: Al Jensen al99337@charter.netDearMYRTLE,I, too, remember fondly the watermelon rind preserves - we weren't allowed to eat all the pink, either! My wife, however, came up with a unique solution to several problems at once. It's a lot of work peeling the watermelon rind, but she got smart, and found that she could utilize a lot of the excess zucchini squash and simplify the watermelon preserve production by using the zucchini instead of watermelon rind. The squash produced much more material for the effort, and it made nice, regular pieces, either cut across into rounds, or lengthwise into 3/8 inch 'french fries'. There is little difference in the result when it comes to eating, but it sure is easier.

--------------------------------------------------------From: Virginia B bvirginia76@earthlink.netDearMYRTLE,Charles' watermelon preserves brought back some more treasured memories! My Hoosier mother canned or otherwise preserved many things. She had a large garden, and many jars were filled for the winter season. Daddy slaughtered a hog each winter, and they preserved the meat, made lard, sausage, cracklin's. Precious memories of family times!

--------------------------------------------------------From: roland8ball@yahoo.comDearMYRTLE,Yes, I remember my Grandmother making watermelon Pickles an so Good!! Roland

--------------------------------------------------------OK, DearREADERS, do me a favor. Write 3-4 paragraphs about these canning, vegetable garden, hog calling-type recollections. Don't worry about grammar, just TELL MYRT THE STORY! Then send me the scanned image of the old homestead, or the person in question. I will create a special article to honor that ancestor for you on my website! Let's also place that story in NOTES (in your genealogy program) for each individual in the story.

Come on! You can DO this! Your grand-children are simply NOT going to believe what you will remember. This sort of self-sufficient, pre-1950s kitchen and household methods is now a lost art, but it's not too late to tell the story. I want to know:

Where did that ancestor live?

What time period did your anecdote take place?

What did the house look like?

How was the kitchen different from those we have today?

What did the cabinets look like?

What kind of flooring was it, and what color?

What did the stove look like? (wood burning, gas, electric, over the fire outside, smokehouse?)

What did he/she wear?

Any family sayings associated with the procedure?

Did they have a root cellar?

Did they have electric or gas lights?

Did they have a vegetable garden?

How did they fertilize and till the soil in the spring?

Was there a swing? (porch, tree, etc.)

What did they do to "winter over" the garden?

What about fruit and/or nut trees on the property or in the neighborhood?

Did they make soap, preserves, candles, sausage?

How was the laundry done?

Describe in 7-9 sentences a typical "Sunday" dinner. Contrast that with weekday meals.

When you had holiday get-togethers, did the kids sit at a different table in the kitchen?

What sorts of things did your parents and grandparents tell you was important in life?

Was there a radio or victrola?

When did he/she get television?

Describe the telephone situation?

Tell about the living room furniture.

Do you remember before vacuum cleaners? If so, please describe how the floors and carpets were cleaned.

SPECIAL QUESTION FROM MYRT: What were those lace doilies over the back of the chair and the arms called? Amagascar or something like that. Dictionary.com doesn't recognize the word. I am lost. They were used to protect the upholstery from dirt. I know at least one of my dear readers can fill me in on that word.

Age for WWI Draft Registration From: CJK1043@aol.comDearMYRTLE,I am wondering, what age you had to be to sign up for the WWI draft?

DearCJK,There were different age requirements for each of the three registrations and one supplement. The National Archives website explains the distinctions. "During World War I there were three registrations:

The first, on June 5, 1917, was for all men between the ages of 21 and 31.

The second, on June 5, 1918, registered those who attained age 21 after June 5, 1917.

(A supplemental registration was held on August 24, 1918, for those becoming 21 years old after June 5, 1918. This was included in the second registration.)

The third registration was held on September 12, 1918, for men age 18 through 45."From:

MYRT'S HANDS-ON RESEARCH EXPERIENCEOl' Myrt here learned a lot about the 24 million World War I Draft Registration Cards before viewing some of them in person at the Southeast Region Archives, then located in East Point, Georgia. I simply couldn't believe that the cards for all states were housed there, since the usual definition of a regional archives branch includes housing records peculiar that that region.

To locate a card on a specific individual, I had to complete a form indicating the state AND the county where the person had registered. This made my search a little bit tricky, since I never knew where my maternal grandfather Lowell Froman lived until later in his life. Then the cards were filed alphabetically. In each of the seven boxes I searched, there were problems with the alphabetical filing, probably due to human error.

While in that cramped old reading room, there were four of us going through the boxes of cards we'd requested from the back stack. One dear woman was upset because she couldn't find her relative who served in the war. Another researcher pointed out that IF that individual had volunteered or was already in the service at the time of the draft registration, he would not have registered for the draft.

WHERE TO LOOK AT THE CARDS:

-- ORIGINAL RECORDS From the NARA website describes the move from East Point to 5780 Jonesboro Road, Morrow, Georgia 30260, 770-968-2100: "Effective April 1, 2005, all genealogical and microfilm research will be conducted at the Morrow facility. Textual holdings will be transferred from the East Point facility from mid-February to mid-June 2005; the most current schedule for holdings transfers can be accessed at http://www.archives.gov/facilities/ga/atlanta/transfer_schedule.html." Viewed 12 June 2005. It would appear that these files were the first to be moved.

-- MICROFILM: NARA microfilm publication M1509, World War I Selective Service System Draft Registration Cards. The roll numbers consist of the state's postal abbreviation (such as AK for Alaska) followed by a number. See the listing of film numbers at: http://www.archives.gov/research_room/genealogy/military/wwi_draft_registration_cards.html In addition to each state in existence at the time, there is a series titled "Indians, Prisoners, Insane, In Hospital, Late Registrants." Here are the ones I would search for my maternal grandfather who was probably living in Chelan County, Washington at the time.

NARA Record Group M1509MICROFILM: WA3 which includes:Benton County T-ZChelan County A-ZClallam County A-C

If I needed to look at microfilm for Pierce County, Washington, that would be a little more challenging since it appears there may be duplication on 2 microfilm:NARA Record Group M1509MICROFILM: WA21 which includes:Pend Oreille County A-ZPierce County #1 A-ZPierce County #2 A-August Bren

MICROFILM: WA22 which includes:Pierce County #2 August Bren-Z

NOTE: In the examples above, WA=Washington, and the number following indicates which of the 61 rolls of Washington state microfilm to view.

SCANNED IMAGES ONLINE:http://content.ancestry.com/iexec/?htx=List&dbid=6482 Viewed on a membership basis, or through AncestryPlus if your local Family History Center provides free access. Do not be led into thinking an ancestor who doesn't show up in the database didn't register for the draft in 1917-1918, since this project isn't complete. The advantage is that one may search WITHOUT knowing the state and county where the gentleman may have registered. For detailed information on how to search the WWI Draft Registration Cards database at Ancestry.com, see this article:Searching the World War I Draft Cards [at Ancestry] by Michael John Neill. http://www.gale.ancestry.com/learn/library/article.aspx?article=9076. Viewed 12 June 2005.

Saturday, June 11, 2005

--------------------------------------------------------EXPERIENCE WITH MEDICAL FAMILY HISTORIES

From: E.Rodier cerear@telusplanet.netDearMYRTLE,Family Tree Maker has allowed Cause of Death to print on wall charts since the first DOS version released 1989. Windows versions since 1994 have allowed three images per person. Sometimes I plan a file to print a face picture, occupation clip art and medical or cause of death using a simple heart shape for individuals with heart problems. FTM allows multiples of 50 items so text notes can be used to explain more details like a specific type of cancer. Age at death is one of the automatic items available.

--------------------------------------------------------DID AMISH, MENNONITES OR QUAKERS AVOID CENSUS TAKERS?From: Elizabeth Cunningham drybones@netreach.netDearMYRTLE,It certainly is not Quaker practice to avoid the census, although some may have done it. For alternative sources of information, you want to try the minutes of the Monthly Meeting they belonged to. This will include weddings, transfers into the Meeting, new members applying, transfers out, resignations from the Meeting, and releases (where the Meeting drops the member). All of the above require the approval of the Monthly Meeting in session. Quakers do not baptize, so you will not find those records. In some Meetings, a member's death was noted in the minutes, but in other Meetings it was not. You should know that in some places in the 1800s there was a split, so there may be two Meetings close together. Many records are at the collection at Swarthmore College, and more are at Haverford College.

--------------------------------------------------------NO MORE CERTO BOTTLESFrom: gypsy97@bellsouth.netDearMYRTLE,Your description of the canning brought back memories of my mother spending weeks in the kitchen doing it. Being the oldest in a large family, I absolutely hated it because I had to take care of the younger kids while she was busy in the steamy kitchen. But at least I spent most of my days outdoors which is where I preferred to be!

--------------------------------------------------------NO MORE CERTO BOTTLESFrom: Ncfewalt45@cs.comDearMYRTLE,Did so enjoy the two articles. I had 4 peach trees that grew from my compost pile where I had thrown the pits. My grand daughters 30 and 27 never did like the store apple sauce or peaches after the tasted my canned. I am now 80, started to can in 1951. My neighbor and I made grape jam one night till after midnight. Oh, the good old days. Let's have more of the articles about our youth.

--------------------------------------------------------WATERMELON PICKLES & PICKLED PEACHESFrom: Charles Royall cnroyall@wcc.netDearMYRTLE,Momma used "Sure Jell." We enjoyed all of her canned stuff. Folks from the 20s-30s had to do that stuff cause you could not just run down to the grocery. Fresh produce in a store was scarce and only when in season.

She even canned meat, (bacon) and rendered lard when hog killing time came in Jan. With no refrigeration it either had to be canned or cured in the smokehouse. We had a underground storm cellar because of the tornados and she kept all of her canned things in the cellar on shelves where it was dark and cool.

One thing I did not understand though, a lot of the stuff had about 1/2 inch of paraffin on top of it and then the lid.

Just one thing. I can not find anyone that can make my favorite, water melon rind preserves or good pickled peaches with one clove stuck in each peach. Oh how I would love to have some water melon rind preserves. We were never allowed to eat all of the red flesh of the melon down to the rind cause if you did then you could not have the preserves.

Momma said the can stuff in the store would kill you if it was left in the can after opening. She did not like anything in a can.

You could always find a ranch house by following the tomato cans from town to the house. The cowboys would buy several cans in town, eat them on the way to the bunkhouse and throw the can by the wayside.

I am on the down hill side of being old, not pretty old, just old. Pretty I am not.

DearCHARLIE, You look pretty fine to me, dear Charlie! I've made "watermelon pickles" just as you describe. I learned about them from my real "Gramma Myrtle." Just the thought is making my mouth water. It's very frustrating, because it takes a lot of rind to make just a few pints. I do know some ladies in Griffin, Georgia who make pickled peaches. I'll send them a copy of this column, to get the ball rolling in the recipe department.

Friday, June 10, 2005

DearZONA,Well, they can't accuse you of being "spaced out." One of my clients complained of a similar problem, then confessed that he had spilled "only a little sweet tea" on it earlier in the day. Dust and spills account for 99% of the "stuck keyboard" challenges.

However, since your computer booted up OK, without a "keyboard error" message, it is more than likely that the sensitivity of the keyboard needs to be adjusted. This is particularly true for us "grandparently" types who may have arthritis in our joints. In your case, perhaps your thumb simply isn't hitting the space bar as you once used to do?

CHANGING KEYBOARD SETTINGS in WinXP:1. Click "START"2. Click "CONTROL PANEL"3. Click "SWITCH TO CLASSIC VIEW"4. Change the "CHARACTER REPEAT DELAY" to a shorter length of time.5. Click "APPLY" and test it out in the box provided.6. Click "OK" when the setting is more to your liking.

Changing Font Size when viewing websitesDearREADERS,It's been a while since we've posted the directions for changing the font size when you are looking at a web page. This becomes important as our bi-focals seem to sometimes fight with our computer screens. See this public genealogy mailing list posting which describes the directions for doing this in Mozilla's Foxfire. Ol' Myrt will then give directions for Microsoft Internet Explorer.

FOXFIRE:From: Steve Franklin cryptozoomorphic@lordbalto.comTo: GODFREY-LIBRARY-HELP-L@rootsweb.comSubject: [Godfrey Lib-H] Setting Font SizesYou can resize individual pages in Firefox too. Just press Ctrl+ or Ctrl-. You can change the default size of text on pages as well: Tools>Options>General>Fonts & Colors>Size (pixels).INTERNET EXPLORER:To display Web page text larger or smaller, on the View menu, point to Text Size, and then click the size you want. This will change it for subsequent views.

NEAT THINGS I've READ LATELY: Spinsters & CemeteriesDearREADERS,A friend in research was perusing the FAMILY, CHURCH & COMMUNITY CEMETERIES OF TROUP COUNTY GEORGIA, compiled by Dorothy McClendon, Lillie Lambert & Danny night. 1990. LaGrange GA: Family Tree. ISBN 89-85640. I ran across this interesting tidbit from the unnumbered page following page 446:

"When I was a child our village cemetery was a place young courting couples walked on a Sunday afternoon. After you got there you could sit out under the trees in the churchyard or wander around reading the different tombstones. I know of two of my friends who received their proposals of marriage while comfortably seated on some distant relative's final resting place. Real nice, I think.

I shall never forget one time when our village spinster set her cap for one of our widowers. He worked down near the railroad and at least twice a week the maiden lady felt the need to sweep off her mother's burial plot. (She had to pass the widower's office to get to the cemetery.)

As she'd pass my father's store gaily swinging her broom, he'd stand in the door and loudly proclaim to everybody, including the sweeper, "I'll tell you if he doesn't pop the question soon she's gonna sweep that poor old lady right out of the ground." My mother nearly had a heart attack every time he said it."

The author is listed as Sara Sopano, and the article titled: Cenmeteries were Cherished Places, was reprinted from the Columbus Ledger Enquirer, no date of publication indicated.

Thursday, June 09, 2005

DearREADERS,OK, I didn't actually process all 1.5 million files. Just received this notice via MSNBC of interest to genealogists:

=======================================================National Archives opens window on military historyhttp://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8149218/1.2 million military documentsto be unsealed Saturday

Marta O'Neill shows one of the World War I-era recruitment posters restored at the National Personnel Records Center in Overland, Mo. The National Archives opens 1.2 million military records and documents to the public for the first time on Saturday.

“Will you please, please be so sweet and kind as to ask Ike to bring Elvis Presley back to us from the Army? We need him in our entertainment world,” pleaded one 1958 letter from a Sacramento, Calif., couple to then-first lady Mamie Eisenhower.=======================================================

ACROSS MY DESK: Louisville, KY, Family History Seminar and Book Fair with Dr.John Phillip Colleta

The following came via DearMYRTLE's Message Board from the Louisville Genealogical Society. Please address all inquiries to: lougensoc@yahoo.com ]

Louisville Genealogical Society 2005 Family History Seminar and Book Fair with Dr.John Phillip Colleta

The 2005 seminar will be held on August 27 and will be at the Shelby Campus of the University of Louisville. Dr. John Philip Colletta, a zealous writer whose work covers a wide range of genealogy topics in his numerous articles and four books, is the planned speaker. You may read more about his work at his web site .www.genealogyjohn.com

There will be vendors, free classes for beginners and an Ancestral Road Show in addition to Dr. Colletta’s lectures. Mark your calendar now for Saturday, August 27, 2005, for this entertaining and educational experience. For a printable flyer with a registration form visit our web site. www.rootsweb.com/~kylgs

APG Honors Sherry Irvine For Exemplary ServiceWhere could you find an expert in English, Scottish and Irish family history, an outstanding teacher and writer, and exceptional leader? Well, of all places, in the small city of Courtenay, British Columbia, Canada on beautiful Vancouver Island.

Her name is Sherry Irvine, CGRS, FSA (Scot), and she is the 2005 recipient of the Grahame T. Smallwood Jr. Award of Merit of the Association of Professional Genealogists (APG). APG President J . Mark Lowe, CG, presented the award to her in Nashville at the group’s luncheon on June 2 at the National Genealogy Society’s Conference in the States. Irvine, who was APG president from 2002-2003 and served on its board of directors for six years, was praised for her personal commitment and exemplary service to APG.

Members of a committee that selected her said she not only has made significant contributions to the genealogical community, but she is "a consummate professional," an "exceptionally effective" leader and a skilled logician adept at sifting through varied opinions and deciding what’s "right for the whole."

Irvine started researching more than 30 years ago and has been teaching and lecturing since 1984. She has been a study tour leader, course coordinator, and instructor for the Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research at Samford University for nearly a decade and teaches online. She has written many articles in genealogical publications and is the author of Your Scottish Ancestry: A Guide for North Americans (2003), which won NGS’s Award of Excellence in Genealogical Methods and Sources; Your English Ancestry: A Guide for North Americans; Scottish Ancestry: Research Methods for Family Historians; and Going to Ireland: A Genealogical Researcher’s Guide (with Nora M. Hickey).

Established in 1979, the Association of Professional Genealogists (http://www.apgen.org) is the world’s leading professional organization of family history and related professionals. APG is devoted to supporting high standards in the field and represents some 1,500 professional genealogists, professional researchers, librarians, writers, editors, instructors, booksellers, publishers and others in all populated continents. It is based in Westminster, Colorado, near Denver.

From: KCx2LDearMYRTLE,I was looking at the article you had sent about Social Security. Also looked at the SSDI [Social Security Death Index.] I typed my ex's name in, and it was there. If I were to order a copy of the death certificate, does it list cause of death?? Just wanted to find out for my boys sake.

DearKATHY,The Social Security Administration will not have his death certificate. If you request information, they will send you a copy of his SS-5, the application for the original number. This proves his parentage, since some sort of documentation had to accompany the original application. See: www.ssa.gov for more info.

As to the death certificate, that is usually obtained from the state government in question. Death certificates do normally include the attending physician's signature under his indication of cause of death. The same would be true if a coroner made a determination of cause of death. The problem occurs if the death took place in a state where they purposefully mark out the cause of death for "right of privacy." This makes it impossible to accurately compile a medical family history for your sons. Since you are divorced from the man, you probably won't have as much success in obtaining the unmarked death certificate. Ask one of your legal age sons to send in the request, with the expressed purpose of compiling his medical family history.

Online genealogists go to www.USGenWeb.com and then to the state in question, to determine the web site and contact information for the appropriate office of vital statistics or state health department. The office goes by various names in the different states. Alternately, one may look in ANCESTRY'S REDBOOK or EVERTON'S HANDYBOOK FOR GENEALOGISTS (books in libraries with genealogy reference sections) to locate the contact information. Some offices accept email or fax requests, others require snail mail letters.

FOR FURTHER READING:DearMYRTLE. "Family Health Report." Briefly describes Myrt's experiences using a free program from the U.S. Surgeon General's office to document and diagram her medical family history. http://www.dearmyrtle.com/04/1113.htm.

Have any of my readers had experiences compiling MEDICAL FAMILY HISTORIES? Please drop me a line and share your experiences with the rest of us.Happy family tree climbing!Myrt :)DearMYRTLE,6023 26th Street West PMB 352Bradenton, FL 34207http://www.DearMYRTLE.com

Tuesday, June 07, 2005

From: JJouglet@aol.comDearMYRTLE,I wrote you not long ago about finding negatives of old photos -- specifically one from Edward Fox studio in Chicago, IL. One of your readers emailed me that 10 years ago Edward Fox was still in business. I looked them up on the internet, found that they are in fact in business at a new location in Chicago and phoned them today. The manager told me they only save negatives for 5-7 years, so I have my answer. I appreciate Myrtle's comments and also the person who informed me they were still in business.--------------------------------------------------------From: gmjgeist@comcast.netDearMYRTLE,If you'd like to see an excellent example of preserving photos from now closed photographic studios, check out the Boston Studio Project at http://www.rootsweb.com/~nebutler/dcaf/dcaf.htm. I have family from the Butler County, Nebraska area, and will be able to see photos I've never seen before. And the project is being handled completely by volunteers!

NOTE FROM MYRT: This is a fantastic collection described on the site as "The Boston Studio Negative Collection consists of over 68,000 negatives taken by the Boston Studio in David City, Nebraska, between 1893 and 1979. As each negative was taken, a number was assigned and written on the negative. The negative number, the name of the person purchasing the photo, their address, the date and occasional remarks were handwritten into accompanying ledgers. The information contained in the ledgers has been typed into databases. The ledgers are listed chronologically on this website and are identified by the dates they include. The database entries in each ledger have been sorted alphabetically to aid in searching. You can also search by using the "Control F" command. There is not a corresponding negative for each ledger or database entry. Over 68,000 negatives survived but many were lost due to poor storage conditions. The final three columns on the database ("Type, Size, Condition") refer to the accompanying negative. If there is no information in those columns, there is no negative."

--------------------------------------------------------From: ellen@barrfinancial.comDearMYRTLE,It all depends on what happens at the time and the inclination of the person taking over. We were fortunate to get a photo of my grandmother's engagement photo during the Sesquicentennial in Oconto, WI. The photographer who had taken over the business merely took out some old negatives and printed them to put in the photographers window. Only because women had "one good dress" and distinctive jewelry (hers only), did they recognize and identify it. Good luck. Do contact the studio since they are still in business in Chicago with a studio in Wheeling, IL for certain. Check address on Google.

--------------------------------------------------------From: Sewsoslow@aol.com DearMYRTLE,In regards to old Photography Studios. The business that took and retained the negatives from my wedding in 1978 sold them to a competitor in the same town when he retired less than 10 years after my wedding. This new business had the copyright for my photos. Since then that business was sold and I heard the new owners bought everything, and then a few years later went out of business. It has been over 26 years from my wedding, and I know that 3 businesses had my wedding negatives and held the copyright to them. I am unable to reproduce them in my new home town, and I have no idea who owns them now. I've been told by a local photo studio, that it is up to me to try to track down the sale of the businesses to find who owns the copyrighted negatives and attain their permission to have my local business copy them or buy through the owners (no matter what their rates are compared to my local business.)

In answer, try to follow the photo studios in the town, and if the photos are quite a bit older, they may have been donated to a local museum for their use and as an income for them (selling the right to make copies of your pictures).

--------------------------------------------------------DEADFRED.comFrom: Debbie Pierce dmpierce@houston.rr.comDearMYRTLE,Would www.DeadFred.Com have anything on the site for like mystery photos. I have the same problem identifying a picture from Photos in Reading, Pa., back in 1800s-1900s.DearDEBBIE,DeadFred is a great place for people to find lost, unclaimed photos and for others to advertise the ones they've found. Another suggestion for pick up a copy of Family Chronicle's helpful books:

DearREADERS,In preparation for a tour of our local Family History Center (FHC), I've identified three things we won't want to do there:#1 - RESEARCH OUTLINES: YES, I love these phenomenally helpful research outlines, but the paper versions are terribly outdated. Also, they do not contain clickable hyperlinks to a glossary of terms, websites or record groups mentioned. Quite simply, use the most recent versions online at: http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/Search/RG/frameset_rhelps.asp. You'll find one for every US state & Canadian Province and major countries of the world. Also look at "Tracing Immigrant Origins" for ideas for researching in the country of departure and the country of arrival. These outlines are written by research experts who know what it takes to find ancestors in a given area, taking into account major collections that are not part of the Family History Library.

#2 - PERSI - It's the index to over 1.6 million genealogy & local history articles. The microfiche version of the PERiodical Source Index available at our FHC is simply quite limited and outdated. It's faster to search it online through our public library's subscription to www.HeritageQuestOnline.com . I read it through my membership to www.Godfrey.org.

OK, there is still a TON of valuable resources which can be accessed through our local Family History Center including something our center calls the "6 MILLION NUMBER MICROFICHE." Consider that a book on fiche is better than two in the bush, if bush = a remote library or archive that doesn't participate in interlibrary loan. When given a choice of ordering microfilm or microfiche, order the fiche since it becomes part of our local center's permanent collection.

Monday, June 06, 2005

Amish, Mennonite, Quakers Avoiding the Census Enumerator

From: Zwriffe@aol.comDearMYRTLE,I discovered last night as I tried to trace my Grandmother's family through the census: I have six generations to my Grandmother but only in one case could I find any listed in census. This was in FamilySearch.org in 1880 only. I have been told the religion is Amish, or Mennonite etc. Did this religion avoid census takers? The family came from Somerset County, New Jersey to Hamilton County, Ohio to Madison County, Indiana and the one I really want to find is in Pratt County, Kansas. Where would be my best source for information? I am trying to trace all lines thru census. I have tried NEHGS, Godfrey Library, Ancestry.com, and FamilySearch.org.

DearZOLA,No, I don't believe your Amish/Mennonite ancestors were any more elusive than the rest of our ancestors when the census taker came calling. Certainly they refrained from associating with outsiders, but I don't think this is your census research problem. We all have challenges attempting to find ancestors in the US Federal Census records.

It is not surprising that you located someone in the free 1880 US Census Index at www.FamilySearch.org, since it the result of very reliable double-blind data entry system. The other census indexes are not. That 1880 index provided a direct link to the census page at www.Ancestry.com for free.

Searching by alternate spellings of the surname (If you aren't thinking of at least 20 different ones, you aren't trying hard enough.)

Imagine alternate transcriptions of the known surname in elaborate, difficult to read script. ("H" could be interpreted by the census indexer as an "A." An "er" could be interpreted as a "w" and so forth.)

Searching without given name

Searching with middle name

Searching with any combination of initials for given name

Searching for a known child with an unusual name

Searching for a known spouse with an unusual name

Searching by birthplace

Searching by age (give or take 1,2 and 5 years)

Searching for them in more than just NJ, OH, IN & KA

Searching for them in ALL US

Check the county history of the known places to see if major emigrations are described.

Look for the 1880 neighbors by name in later census.

Just clicking through the entire census pages for the county you are convinced they were living in at the time.

Consider where the husband's stated occupation in the 1880 census would take him -- maybe to Illinois, Missouri and then back to Indiana?

The concept of "searching for them in more than just NJ, OH and IN" is an interesting one. For instance:

Pennsylvania, Maryland and Delaware are likely alternatives to New Jersey.

Missouri is a likely alternative for Kansas.

Kentucky is a likely alternative to Ohio.

You can also begin to look at alternative records such as state census, courthouse and church records in the known areas for further indications. These will most likely be available on microfilm through your local LDS Family History Center.

Have you readers run across any documented evidence that Amish, Mennonite, or Quakers specifically avoided the census enumerator? If so, what alternative record sources proved most useful?

Former Photographic StudiosFrom: JJouglet@aol.comDearMYRTLE,I have a photograph and the name at the bottom says "Edward Fox Studio, 2003 Milwaukee Ave., Chicago, IL. We think this photo is of my great-grandmother's sister Sofia and husband, from Sweden. My question is this, when a photographer goes out of business, does he send his negatives to another studio? Is there any way to trace this to identify the couple in the photo? Thanks.

DearJJ,This is a good question, and we need help from other readers on this. My gut reaction is to believe that when a photographer goes out of business he is either:-- deceased-- out of money-- overcome by ill health

None of the scenarios would lend itself to "sending negatives to another studio."

My understanding from a copyright point of view, is that the heirs retain the right.

Sunday, June 05, 2005

--------------------------------------------------------GLOBAL GENEALOGY FEEDBACKFrom: genealogy-nv@shaw.caDearMYRTLE,[Myrt wrote] GLOBAL GENEALOGY (I haven't dealt with this organization. Does anyone have any feedback to give on their service?) http://globalgenealogy.com

In response, I have personally used [Global Genealogy] several times as well as our local society, the British Columbia Genealogical Society, and I have found them to be [an] extremely helpful and excellent service. They also provide a weekly newsletter of specials, what's new at their store and a little bit of what is going on in the genealogy world. I highly recommend them.

--------------------------------------------------------COMPILING GENEALOGYFrom: Shelina passionforquilting@yahoo.comDearMYRTLE,To compile my genealogy, I use Family Tree Maker, and print out several ancestor charts. Then I print out descendant charts for each of the ancestors. (I skip the one ancestors that will give me the exact same information, such as a spouse whose parentage and siblings are not known.) I make a "chapter" for each of these ancestors, or they get their own book, depending on how much information I have about the family.To make the "book" more interesting to look at, I include as many pictures as I can find. I will include a picture of a grave marker if I do not have an individual's picture. I also include pictures for their stories. For example, if I find out that an ancestor was an automobile dealer, I find a picture of one of the automobiles they sold, or try to find one of their advertisements in the newspaper. Pictures of the church or school they attended, whatever I can find. I include examples of birth certificates, censuses, directory listings, plat maps, obituaries, etc.I also include short articles about various topics relating to the family or the area. To quickly get basic information like this, children's books are very helpful. I take the information and attach the family information to it. For example, in my article about The Great Migration, I discuss each family member and their ages, and show some of the problems they might have encountered on their move north.

Articles I have written, so you can see variety are Andersonville prison, The Great Migration, Columbus Ohio in the early 1920s, Evergreen Cemetery, Genealogy Research, Our House in Africa, etc.

To make the book useful, I also include a birthday calendar for living individuals, and a report of burials sorted by cemetery, so that the user can easily visit their relatives when they go to a particular cemetery.

Once every few years, I print out the book, have it copied on double sided paper (since it is very big), and have it bound. Not only does this serve as a great backup, (and something I can show my relatives), it also shows me what additions and deletions I need to make for the next book.I have found that many libraries - the Coshocton Public Library <http://www.coshocton.lib.oh.us/> and the Columbus Public Library <http://www.cml.lib.oh.us/>, in particular, have indexed obituaries and the index is available free on the web from [each] library's web site. This has been a tremendous resource for me to quickly look up not only the ancestors, but also collateral relatives. From that information, I can either go to the library (for Columbus) or to www.ancestry.com (for Coshocton), to get the actual obituary. --------------------------------------------------------No More CERTO BottlesFrom: MADFARRELL@aol.comDearMYRTLE,I, too, enjoyed the article about canning. When we purchased the property where our house now stands (1961), it was full of wild blackberry bushes. We were expecting company one Sunday afternoon so I asked my husband if he would go to the property and pick some blackberries and I would make a blackberry pie. He did so and I did make the pie. The pits in those blackberries were so plentiful, that it was almost like eating a wooden pie with a blackberry flavor! I remember my mother and father canning - in the big pressure cooker with the wire rack (which I still have and use occasionally when I make chili sauce). My father enjoyed cooking and when he made peach and orange marmalade, it was nicknamed "Popalade."

--------------------------------------------------------MYRT AS A GUEST SPEAKERFrom: genealogy-nv@shaw.caDearMYRTLE,Myrt, met you on the old Generations Talk Show and you mentioned you had a brother living in Delta (I live in North Vancouver). I was wondering if you have any future travel plans up this way and also your guest speaker rates. Am thinking I would contact our local society and suggest you as a guest speaker.

DearLORRAINE,Thank-you for your kind thoughts. I just love getting out and about to visit with genealogists. We all seem to have the same challenges -- organization, finding enough hours in a day, etc. I was just out there last summer (2004) for my brother's daughter's wedding. It was the only time in three weeks that it didn't rain, thank heavens, since it was an outdoor June wedding. Am considering going back in June 2006. For more information about inviting me to visit your local or regional genealogy society see: http://www.dearmyrtle.com/speaker.htmHappy family tree climbing!Myrt :)DearMYRTLE,6023 26th Street West PMB 352Bradenton, FL 34207http://www.DearMYRTLE.com

Saturday, June 04, 2005

READERS' FEEDBACK: No More Certo Bottles

From: bvirginia76@earthlink.netDearMYRTLE,Thank you for this trip down memory lane for me! I watched my mother many, many times through the very process you described, and the canning of many fruits and vegetables from the time I was a young child in Indiana. Things from our garden and fruit from the "wild" and trees of many family members and friends. I ultimately grew old enough to help her. She died suddenly at age 39, and there the wonderful times together ended. Thank you for the stimulated memories of the happy times we had.

--------------------------------------------------------From: DTipp19566@aol.comDearMYRTLE,Thanks for a trip down Memory Lane with you on this email. I can remember the vegetable stands at the side of the road in CT. where I grew up and the rides to the country side for the wild blackberries, elderberries, and whatever other berry we could find, not to mention the snakes that would greet us while picking. WOW! That was a scary time and a fun time too. My grandparents did the canning thing and jelly thing and it was wonderful having all those veggies and jellies all winter long. We even have inherited the homemade jelly press they used for this. Maybe you have motivated me enough now to try it again. Have fun and enjoy!

--------------------------------------------------------From: Jasskirv@aol.comMy dear friend,You will have a million replies to your wonderful article. And yes, it did bring back memories. Not of me doing all that work, but my mother who really seemed to enjoy it. I was one of those "tasters" ready to help out. Somehow the canning gene skipped me and landed in my daughter. She is not the "domestic type" (has a PhD.) But her skills in preserving food far exceed any her old Mom ever acquired. (Maybe this gene skips generations because I don't remember my mother's Mom ever canning anything!)

Yes, there is nothing like FRESH peaches and yes the commercial world has never found a way to make anything compared to home made blackberry jelly. While I have never made jelly or preserves or canned anything, I am glad that I did have the pleasure of experiencing FRESH fruit canned at home by a loving mother.

Thanks for stirring up pleasant memories.

--------------------------------------------------------From: Sanders922@msn.comDearMYRTLE,Thank you. You gave me my first good laugh of the day with your canning story. We used the powered stuff, Jel Well I think it was called, instead of Certo but The memory is the same.

--------------------------------------------------------From: storknurse7@earthlink.netDearMYRTLE,You've described my method perfectly. But, my friends look at me like I'm living in the dark ages when I describe it. They all make freezer jams and jellies. You simply boil the pectin with water and stir it into the fruit for 3 minutes. You pour it into washed jars or plastic containers, leave at room temp for 24 hours and then freeze for up to a year. The taste is like freshly picked fruit, not boiled fruit. BUT, that presupposes you have room in the freezer, which I never do because it is filled with berries and fruit I'll later use for pies and cobblers!

--------------------------------------------------------From: CordeliaD@aol.comDearMYRTLE,Oh the memories you stirred in this old head with your descriptions of canning/preserving the fresh fruits of the day. -- Thanks so much for such a great start to this day.

---------------------------------------------------------From: GWINNALICE@aol.comDearMYRTLE,Sure enjoyed your memories. You make them seem to be happening right now!

--------------------------------------------------------From: Cloago@aol.comDearMYRTLE,Too bad I don't live closer to you, I'm in Naples, FL! I just got rid of 300 canning jars -- no they were not thrown out but taken to my son's farm where one of my grandsons took them to another friend who cans and sells her goodies locally. She was thrilled to have them. I had both wide mouth jars and regular quart jars, pints, and 3 cup jars.

With a farmer son close at hand I have continued to can in "retirement" however there always comes a time when it's necessary to eliminate those chores. I still have the hot water bath with the wire rack inside if you are going to be in this area let me know and it's yours.

I have canned helping my mother since the 1930s and have taught my daughters and sons to can as well. In fact, one of the nicest gifts we got from a son who, at the time, was going to Oregon State University in Corvallis while we lived outside Pittsburgh. I opened this very well padded package and discovered a jar of his blackberry jam. He had picked the Marion berries (an Oregon favorite) made the jam and then packed it into a real Mason jar with a glass top, a rubber gasket, and a wire closure at the top. What a joy to know that all those years of canning was paying off! -- Thanks for the great memories.

--------------------------------------------------------DearREADERS,Oh, THANK-YOU, for sharing such lovely memories. It is hard work, picking the blackberries among the brambles isn't it? And it takes a lot of picking, since it's 1 for me and 2 for the bucket, right? Also, in days gone by people, had summer kitchens in the basement or out back of the house, since all the "cooking down" of the preserves could easily heat up the house. Living the good life here in the 21st century, I merely put the AC down a notch or two.

MEMORIES are important. Our society has moved from agrarian to industrial and now we're into technology. Little kids these days don't often know that cookies don't come from a package that says "OREO" on the label. The PROCESS for making oatmeal raisin cookies fascinates children. They can help with all but the "oven part" as my grandson TJ calls it. We made blueberry muffins one morning last month and I had a blast. He wanted to "crack in" the eggs, and I let him. How's he ever going to learn? Well, for sure him mom and dad are teaching him many things, but it falls to the grandparents to teach the old ways. As Tevye in "Fiddler on the Roof" would say -- "TRADITION."

And speaking of Tevye's lamentations to his higher power, remember "Would it spoil some vast eternal plan, if I were a wealthy man?" I like that one, but with a feminine twist. Then I'd have more time for genealogy research and making peach preserves!